It is permitted to collect by-products such as fruit and vegetable scraps from school cafeterias and large distribution companies and use them as raw materials for livestock feed.
On the 29th, the Ministry of Environment noted that it has granted regulatory exceptions for circular economy regulations for three new technologies and services utilizing agricultural and food by-products and other waste.
The circular economy regulatory exception (sandbox) system allows corporations to conduct proof-of-concept tests for innovative technologies and services under limited conditions, and if the results prove safety and effectiveness, the relevant regulations are refined. It was introduced in January last year.
The new technologies and services granted exceptions in the circular economy sector this time include ▲ resource utilization of agricultural and food by-products for livestock feed ▲ production of soil management materials and eco-friendly materials using citrus by-products ▲ a commissioned medical waste processing service utilizing sterilization and grinding facilities.
The utilization of agricultural and food by-products for livestock feed refers to collecting agricultural and food by-products such as fruit and vegetable scraps from school cafeterias and large distribution companies and making them into raw materials for livestock feed.
Until now, by-products generated during the pre-processing stage were mixed with food waste generated during the cooking process and discarded. Under the current Feed Management Act, they were not allowed as feed raw materials, limiting recycling.
This demonstration is expected to prove the safety and economic viability of recycling agricultural and food by-products as raw materials for livestock feed, and if regulations are revised, it will also increase the self-sufficiency rate of feed raw materials. It is also expected to have a greenhouse gas reduction effect.
The agricultural and food by-products discharged from large supermarkets and Garak Market amount to over 12,730 tons annually, and if these are utilized for feed, it is estimated that it could reduce greenhouse gases by 1,426 CO2eq (carbon dioxide equivalent) annually.
The business of producing soil management materials and eco-friendly materials using citrus by-products involves separating liquid and solid from citrus waste, a specialty product of Jeju, to make soil management materials and eco-friendly materials.
Until now, recycling citrus by-products has been difficult. However, with the development of high-solid separation pre-treatment technologies (R&D), it has become possible to develop them into eco-friendly functional materials.
The commissioned medical waste processing service using sterilization and grinding facilities is a service that handles medical waste commissioned from hospitals that have difficulty installing sterilization and grinding facilities. If it is confirmed through this exception that the sterilization and grinding facilities operate effectively, it is likely that safe methods for disposing of medical waste will become more diverse.